This week, Maryland Commerce is leading a delegation of eight local companies to Silicon Valley's Startup Grind Global Conference. This is the first year that Maryland Commerce has participated in the two day conference, which is held February 11-12.

Startup Grind attracts more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, startups, emerging and high growth companies, investors, and major national and international brands for a two-day conference focused on education and networking.

“We are very excited to lead some of Maryland’s best and brightest startup companies to this global conference. Leading this delegation is part of our larger focus this year on supporting our entrepreneurs and ensuring they have the resources to thrive in our state,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz.

Maryland Commerce, in partnership with TEDCO, selected the companies earlier this year through a competitive process. Local law firm Shulman Rogers is also providing support through a sponsorship.

The eight Maryland companies traveling as part of the delegation are:

• Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, a biotech based in Gaithersburg focused on advancing a permanent cure to bacterial superbug infections;
• HopFlyt, a Lusby-based company working on an electrical Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for passenger urban aerial mobility;
• ICMed, LLC, a healthcare technology company in Baltimore that is creating accessibility and portability of secure consumer health information among patients, caregivers and healthcare providers;
• MindStand Tech, a Baltimore-based artificial intelligence company that provides business owners with actionable insights on the engagement, productivity, and culture of their employees and/or students;
• Next Step Robotics, a biotech in Baltimore developing robots and artificial intelligence to teach stroke victims how to walk again without assistive devices;
• Outlook/OVFX, an entertainment and media company in Baltimore specializing in kids and pop culture content;
• Splice Therapeutics, a biotech in Bethesda that invented the leading form of gene editing, RNA trans-splicing;
• and Sensanna Inc., a Hanover-based company that works to bring connectivity and information to the industries that operate in the harshest conditions.

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